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Rules and Regulations​​​​​​​ (Student Handbook) » LSSD Discipline Code

LSSD Discipline Code

Students are expected to:

  • Respect the rights and dignity of each member of the school community (student, employee of the Board of Education, or any other person lawfully present on school grounds or in attendance at school-related activities)
  • Help maintain a positive learning environment and to ensure that their own actions do not interfere with the ability of any student to learn and to achieve
  • Ensure that their own conduct does not endanger the safety and health of themselves or of any other member of the school community
  • Ensure that their behavior complies with the laws of the United States, laws of the State of Tennessee, and county and municipal statutes
  • Comply with rules of the school and to be in their assigned location throughout the day
  • Refrain from inciting, advising, or counseling others to engage in conduct which violates the rights of any member of the school community, interferes with the ability of any student to learn and to achieve, endangers the health and safety of any member of the school community, violates the laws to which they are subject, or which does not comply with rules of the school.
 
Student behavioral policies apply at all times on school grounds, school related trips, off school grounds, at any school activity or event, or while students are being transported to and from school or school related activities.


Walter J. Baird Middle School Discipline Plan

Level 1


The resolution of Level 1 behaviors is primarily the responsibility of teachers, support personnel, and parents/guardians. Notification of parent/guardian is recommended at each occurrence, but is mandatory on the third. Administrative and parental assistance can be initiated without engaging the formal referral process if the teaching team deems it necessary. Documented evidence of persistent behaviors, appropriate interventions, and administrative notification, moves the matter to Level 2 after the fifth occurrence. A variety of interventions should be attempted. A recommended list of interventions is provided and should reflect the personal classroom management style of the teacher.

Level 1 behaviors include, but are not limited to the following:

Behaviors
  • Being inattentive
  • Derogatory remarks
  • Disobedience
  • Distracting others
  • Excessive and/or loud talking
  • Tardiness
  • Failure to do assigned work
  • Failure to bring necessary materials to class
  • Failure to pay school fines, fund raising commitments, or return equipment
  • Littering
  • Loitering
  • Not returning progress reports
  • Throwing objects
  • Not dressing out for PE
  • Cheating
  • Lack of respect for people and property
  • Dress code violations
 

Level 1 Interventions

Any or all of the following interventions may be used to address

Level 1 behaviors
  • Assigned school service relative to behavior (cleaning room, clean desks)
  • Behavioral contracts/behavior management plans
  • Brief hall conference with student
  • Classroom activity exclusion
  • Classroom behavior management plan
  • Classroom meeting
  • Conference
  • Conference with Administration, pro-active
  • Consultation/intervention with other teachers/counselors/support personnel
  • Contact with parent/guardian (site, phone, letter, visit)
  • Controlled ignoring
  • Cooling off/time out
  • Incentives/positive reinforcers
  • Nonverbal correction
  • Peer mediation
  • Seating change
  • Supportive confrontation
  • Teacher initiated detention
  • Temporary Alternative placement (another class)
  • Temporary removal of items that disrupt
  • Use of verbal de-escalation methods
  • Verbal correction
  • Withdrawal of privileges within the classroom
  • Writing assignments

 

Level 2


These interventions are the responsibility of school-based administration, with assistance from teachers, support staff, and parents. One or more interventions may be utilized.

Level 2 behaviors include, but are not limited to the following:

Behavior
  • Altering/destruction of school records
  • Assault
  • Discriminatory conduct
  • Distribution, possession, exhibition or offensive materials
  • Damage to property
  • Fighting
  • Fireworks/incendiary objects
  • Gambling
  • Gang related behavior
  • Profanity and/or obscenity
  • 5-Level 1 behaviors
  • Possession of harmful objects
  • Possession of stolen property
  • Not returning Report Cards
  • Reckless behavior
  • Inappropriate lunchroom behavior
  • Temper tantrum/out of control behavior
  • Theft
  • Trespassing
  • Verbal abuse
  • Disrespect
  • Use/possession of tobacco
  • Violation of medication policy
  • Defiant behavior
  • Violation of hands off policy
  • Violation of electronic device/cell phone policy
  • Forgery
  • Out of area

Level 2 Interventions
  • First Occurrence
  • Parent/guardian conference with administration/teacher
  • Parent/guardian In Class
  • In School Suspension
  • Out of School Suspension
  • Referral to outside agency or authority
  • Restitution or assigned school service
  • Corporal Punishment
  • After School Detention
  • Subsequent Occurrence
  • Parent/guardian conference with administration/teacher
  • Parent/guardian conference with administration/staff to
  • establish behavioral plan
  • Parent/guardian In Class
  • In School Suspension
  • Out of School Suspension
  • Alternate education placement
  • Peer mediation
  • Referral to outside agency or authority
  • Restitution or assigned school service
  • Corporal Punishment
  • Recommendation for expulsion
 

Level 3


These interventions are the responsibility of school-based administration and central office personnel, with assistance from teachers, support staff, and parents. One or more interventions may be utilized. Board of Education and Central Office action may also be necessary.

Level 3 behaviors include, but are not limited to the following:

Behaviors
  • Sexual misconduct
  • Arson/attempted arson
  • Battery
  • Bomb threats, use or transporting explosives
  • Burglary
  • Distribution or sale of alcohol/drugs or look-alike
alcohol/drugs
  • Extortion
  • Fire alarms
  • Group violence
  • Interference with school personnel
  • Persistent Level 2 behaviors
  • Possession, use or reasonable suspicion of being under

the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • Robbery
  • Sexual harassment
  • Staff assault
  • Threats with a weapon or instrument
  • Use/possession of a weapon
  • Use of a legitimate tool as a weapon
  • Vandalism
  • Other matters as covered by the Director’s Office or School Board
  • Disorderly conduct
Interventions
  • First Occurrence
  • Out of School Suspension (up to10 days)
  • Alternate education placement(On-site or Off-site)
  • Possible recommendation for expulsion (includes look- alike firearms)
  • Mandatory recommendation for expulsion for firearms
  • Consultation/referral to policy agency and possible arrest
  • Restitution or assigned school service
  • Subsequent Occurrences
  • Out of School Suspension (10 days or more)
  • Consultation/referral to policy agency and possible arrest
  • Alternate education placement (On-site or Off-site)
  • Mandatory recommendation for expulsion for firearms
  • Recommendation for expulsion
 

In School Suspension (ISS): Students assigned to ISS must report to school at the regular time, but they must report to the ISS room upon entering the building. Students present in ISS are not counted absent and the work they complete will count toward the nine weeks grade. Serving in ISS does not penalize a student academically. Teachers will send assignments to the ISS teacher and students should be prepared for a full day of academic study.

Out of School Suspension (OSS): The more serious level of suspension is OSS. Students are not allowed to attend school or any school event or activity during the period of suspension. The days a student misses during OSS are counted as unexcused absences. The school work must be made up so that it can be counted toward the nine weeks grade. Parents are urged to have the student do the work he/she is missing in class during the time they are out of school.

After School Activities: Students receiving disciplinary actions may be restricted from attending or participating in after-school activities for a length of time as determined by the administration. Any disciplinary infraction at an after-school activity may be grounds for a permanent ban from any after-school activities. Failure of the student to have a ride at the activity at the appropriate time may lead to restrictions being placed on the student’s attendance at these activities.

SEARCHES


TCA 49-6-4204 Search of Lockers: School lockers and desks, which have been assigned to a student, are and remain school property. School officials may inspect them at any time. The search may be in the student’s presence or in the presence of other members of the faculty. (Acts 1981, ch. 368.2)

TCA 49-6-4206 Search of Persons: In an emergency situation where a student has used or displayed a dangerous weapon or drug, the principal may conduct a search as is necessary under the circumstances, including search of the student’s person, to locate and recover such dangerous weapon or drug before any student can be harmed. (Acts 1981, ch. 368.2)

TCA 49-6-4206 Search of Containers; In other situations, a student’s pockets, purses, or other container may be required to be emptied if a search of a locker or other area used for storage by the student has disclosed the presence of a dangerous weapon or drugs. If it seems probable to a principal, from the results of a locker search or from information received from a teacher, staff member, or other student, that a particular student has a dangerous weapon or drug concealed on his person, he shall be subject to physical search.

(Acts 1981, ch. 368.2)

TCA 49-6-4206 Search of Vehicles: If, as an accommodation to students’ parking spaces of facilities are provided for students’ use or parking by students is allowed on school property, then as a condition to such parking privilege, vehicles owned, operated, or used by such students and parked on school property shall be subject to search for dangerous weapons or drugs if the student is otherwise found to be in possession of a dangerous weapon or drugs through a search authorized under this part and there is reasonable cause to believe that dangerous weapons or drugs may be in a vehicle owned or operated by that student, or in which that student is carried as a passenger, and such vehicle is located on school property. (Acts 1981, ch. 368.2)

TCA 49-6-4209 Report of probable cause by principal to law enforcement officer. It shall be the duty of the principal of a school who has probable cause to believe, either as a result of a search or otherwise, that any student is committing or has committed any violation of 39-4901, or 52.1498-52-1448 upon the school ground or within any school building or structure under his supervision to report such probable cause to the appropriate law enforcement office. (Acts 1981, ch. 368.2)